Cleveland – White County has its second confirmed case of rabies for 2019.
In a news release from Sean Sullivan, Environmental Health Manager for White County, the State lab contacted him late Friday evening to alert that the raccoon that was sent in on Thursday was positive for the rabies virus.
On Tuesday, October 22 a house and pet sitter at a home off Gene Nix Road in White County let two dogs outside into a yard. A few minutes later they heard noise coming from the yard. The sitter investigated and found the two dogs fighting with a raccoon. The sitter was able to get the dogs off and away from the raccoon and back into the house. The raccoon scurried away that night but was found dead the next day in a nearby creek.
The incident was not reported until Wednesday. The raccoon was picked up late that afternoon and shipped on Thursday to the Georgia Public Health Lab – Virology Section in Decatur. White County Environmental Health was advised on Friday that the raccoon tested positive for rabies.
This is the second confirmed case of rabies in White County in 2019.
Both dogs were current on their rabies vaccinations but were placed in a required observational quarantine for 45 days. Positive alert signs will be posted in the area where the rabid raccoon was located.
If you live in this area and have concerns about rabid animal exposure, please contact White County Environmental Health at 706-348-7698 during normal business hours. Animal owners are encouraged to vaccinate their domesticated pets for rabies
